Operating unit comprising at least one operating element for an air conditioning installation and/or an automatic air conditioning system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an operator control unit having at least one operator control element, in particular for setting the air quantity or the temperature or the air distribution of an automatic air-conditioning system, an automatic function and a manual setting function being provided.  
     According to the invention there is provision that, when switching over from the automatic function into the manual setting function, the set value of the setting function is assigned to the value of the automatic function which is selected during the switching-over process or to the closest value in the direction of the new target value or to the value which is possible at the closest display value or to a permanently preprogrammed value.

[0001] The invention relates to an operator control unit having at leastone operator control element for an air-conditioning system and/orautomatic air-conditioning system, in particular for setting the airquantity or the temperature or the air distribution of an automaticair-conditioning system according to the genus-forming features of claim1.

[0002] A generic operator control unit having at least one operatorcontrol element is described, for example, in EP 0 814 965 B1. Anoperator control device is disclosed which has an automatic and a manualsetting operating mode, in each case a manually adjustable analogsetpoint-value setting device, which permits simple manual settingmaneuvers, being provided as setpoint-value setting means for “airdistribution” and/or the “air quantity” and/or the “air temperature”. Ineach case a manually adjustable analog setpoint-value setting device,which permits simple manual setting maneuvers, [lacuna] provided asdisplay means for “air distribution” and/or “air quantity” and/or “airtemperature”. In each case an analog display device is assigned asdisplay means for “air distribution” and/or the “air quantity” and/orthe “air temperature” in each analog setpoint-value setting device,which display device is greatly adjusted, as a setpoint-value displaydevice, in analog fashion in the manual setting mode by means of anindependent extraneous drive so as to correspond to the setpoint valuewhich is set, ensuring unambiguous and quick

[0003] as an actual-value display device, directly in analog fashion soas to correspond to the respective actual value for “air distribution”and/or “air quantity”, as a result of which the display means which ispreviously used as a setpoint-value display during manual adjustment canalso be used as an actual-value display in the automatic operating mode.A rotary knob is in each case provided as setpoint-value setting device,said rotary knob being assigned in each case a scale display for thesetpoint-value display means or actual-value display means in aconcentric fashion at least over part of the circumference. Theautomatic function of the automatic air-conditioning system has aswitch-off dependence on the manual activation of the setpoint-valuesetting means in the form of the rotary knobs. If the device is switchedover back to automatic operating mode by activating the automaticswitch-on means, in particular in the form of the push button switch,the automatic system controls the corresponding values in accordancewith its program which is input into it. The display cursors move ontothe new automatic-specific values and display, as actual-value displaydevice, the respective value which is set by the automatic system.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,476 discloses an automatic air-conditioningsystem with an automatic mode and a manual mode. It is possible here toswitch over between automatic mode and manual mode. As soon as it isdetected that the system has been switched over from the automatic modeinto the manual mode, the starting mode is set to a first predeterminedmode if the external temperature which is determined drops below athreshold value and is set to a second, predetermined mode if theexternal temperature which is determined exceeds a threshold value. Thisfirst predetermined mode is, for example, for guiding the air completelyto the windshield. Using the external temperature it is determinedwhether it is necessary to cool or heat and, for this purpose, therespective cooling or heating mode is set. Although the starting mode isset to a first predetermined mode when switching over from the automaticmode into the manual operating mode, this always takes place as afunction of the external temperature and is also not dependent on theoperator. It is not dependent on what the operator has set at theoperator control element. Only the external temperature determines whichmode is set.

[0005] With these types of operator control elements, it isdisadvantageous that, when switching over from the automatic function tothe manual setting function, the value which is set at the operatorcontrol element does not correspond to the currently active value sothat, if the automatic function has actually implemented a blower levelof 3, and the value which has been set is at a blower level of 1, andthe operator then moves the blower actuating wheel to the right from 1to 2 in order to increase the blower power, the blower is howeverreduced as the blower power which has been set from the automaticoperating mode was the level 3. The problem is also experienced with theoperator control elements for temperature and air distribution.

[0006] With the operator control element in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,476 itis disadvantageous that, when switching over from the automaticoperating mode into the manual operating mode, a quite specificpredetermined mode is set which is additionally also dependent on theexternal temperature. However, the predetermined value which is desiredby the operator is not taken into account when switching over from theautomatic operating mode into the manual operating mode. Furthermore,the mode which is set by the automatic function is not taken intoaccount either.

[0007] The object of the invention is to further develop an operatorcontrol element for an automatic air-conditioning system with a manualsetting function in such a way that the operating convenience of theair-conditioning system is improved.

[0008] The object is achieved by virtue of the fact that, when switchingover from the automatic function into the manual setting function, the

[0009] however reduced as the blower power which has been set from theautomatic operating mode was the level 3. The problem is alsoexperienced with the operator control elements for temperature and airdistribution.

[0010] The object of the invention is to further develop an operatorcontrol element for an automatic air-conditioning system with a manualsetting function in such a way that the operating convenience of theair-conditioning system is improved.

[0011] The object is achieved by virtue of the fact that, when switchingover from the automatic function into the manual setting function, thesetting function value which is set corresponds to the value of theautomatic function which is selected during the switching over.

[0012] With this type of operator control element it is advantageousthat display means are provided which, in the manual operating mode,display the value which has been currently set and that the value whichis set at the operator control element corresponds to the value which isactually implemented. When the operator control element is set to aboosting direction, the blower is then increased although the valuewhich is set had been assigned to a lower blower level before the devicewas switched over into the automatic function. By switching over fromthe automatic function into the manual setting function, the value ofthe air-conditioning system which is currently actually implementedduring the switching over process is assigned to the value which is setat the control element. If the operator control element is used to setthe blower level, the blower level which is currently actuallyimplemented by the automatic function during the switching over isassigned to the value which is set at the operator control element or tothe next value in the direction of the new target value or to the valuewhich is possible at the closest display value or to a permanentlypreprogrammed value. This blower level is displayed using display meansso that, in the manual setting function, the operator knows which blowerlevel is currently set. By adjusting the operator control element in thebooster direction, the blower is increased, which is displayed with thedisplay means. The behavior is analogous when there is an adjustment inthe reduction direction. The blower level is then reduced, which is alsodisplayed in this case by the display means.

[0013] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to adescription of the FIGURES, in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 shows an operator control element with an automaticfunction and a manual setting function.

[0015]FIG. 1 shows an operator control unit 1 for an automaticair-conditioning system with three operator control elements 3, eachoperator control element 3 being equipped with an automatic function 2and a manual setting function 4. The operator control element 3 can beprovided for changing the air quantity, the air distribution or thetemperature. An operator control unit 1 for an automaticair-conditioning system usually has a plurality of operator controlelements 3, one operator control element 3 being provided for thetemperature, one operator control element 3 being provided for the airquantity and one operator control element 3 being provided for airdistribution. By pressing the central knob, the automatic function 2 isactivated and the function which can be set by means of the operatorcontrol element 3 is automatically set as a function of predefinedparameters. The value 6 which is set at the operator control element 3is ignored until the automatic function 2 is deactivated and the manualsetting function 4 is activated again. The value 6 which is set at theoperator control element 3 is assigned, when switching over from theautomatic function 2 into the manual setting function 4, to the valuewhich is actually implemented by the automatic function 2 or to theclosest value in the direction of the new target value or to the valuewhich is possible at the closest display value or to a permanentlypreprogrammed value. If the operator control element 3 is used to setthe blower level, when switching over from the automatic function 2 intothe manual setting function 4, the blower level which is actuallyimplemented by the automatic function 2 is assigned to the value 6 whichis set at the operator control element 3. Display means 7 which displaythe current value in the manual setting function 4 are arranged aroundthe operator control element 3. The display means show, in the manualsetting function, the value which is set and/or assigned by theair-conditioning system. The display means are composed of a light chainwhich is arranged around the operator control element, in particular anLED chain, which are arranged in order to display the position of thevalue which has been set by the air-conditioning system in the manualoperating mode. When switching over occurs, they consequently displaythe value which the automatic function 2 has actually implemented at thetime of the switching over. In the manual setting function 4, this valuethen remains set until an adjustment occurs at the operator controlelement 3.

[0016]FIG. 2 shows two operator control elements 3, a value being set atthe operator control element. The operator control element for themanual operator control function is embodied as an infinite rotarywheel. In the left-hand image, the display means shows the value whichis actually implemented by the air-conditioning system, during theswitching over from the automatic function into the manual settingfunction. The value which is actually implemented is displayed duringthe switching over. The value which is set is then assigned to thisvalue which is actually implemented. The right-hand image then shows theoperator control unit with the operator control element after theoperator control element has been adjusted during a manual settingfunction of the air-conditioning system. The value which is set wasmoved in the boosting direction. The display function displays the newvalues which was set by the air-conditioning system by this operatorcontrol intervention. If the operator control element which is shown isused to set the blower level, a blower level of 3 is displayed in thedisplay means in the left-hand part of the FIGURE. The value which isset is still at the same location as before the automatic function wasswitched over. However, it is now no longer equal to the value of theblower level 2 which was actually implemented then but is now assignedto the value of the blower level 3 which is actually implemented by theautomatic function although no change has taken place at the operatorcontrol element. This change is however visible by virtue of the displaymeans 7 which display, in the manual setting function 4, the value whichis actually implemented by the air-conditioning system so that theoperator always knows which blower level is actually implemented at thatmoment, and in which direction the operator control element 3 has to bemoved in order to reduce or increase the value which is actuallyimplemented. When the operator control element 3 is adjusted in theboosting direction, the blower level is increased from 3 to 4 or 5,depending on the setting. When the operator control element 3 isadjusted in the reduction direction, the blower level is decreased from3 to 2 or 1.

1. Operator control unit (1) having at least one operator controlelement (3), in particular for setting the quantity of air or thetemperature or air distribution of an air-conditioning system, anautomatic function (2) and a manual setting function (4) being provided,characterized in that, when switching over from the automatic function(2) into the manual setting function (4), the set value (6) of thesetting function (4) is assigned to the value of the automatic function(2) which is selected during the switching-over, or to the closest valuein the direction of the new target value or to the value which ispossible at the closest display value (7) or to a permanentlypreprogrammed value.
 2. The operator control unit having at least oneoperator control element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatdisplay means (7) are provided which, during the manual setting function(4), display the value which is actually implemented and/or assigned bythe air-conditioning system.
 3. The operator control unit having atleast one operator control element according to claims 1 and 2,characterized in that the display means (7) are composed of a lightchain which is arranged around the operator control element (3), inparticular a LED chain, for displaying the position of the value whichis set and/or assigned by the air-conditioning system during manualoperation.
 4. The operator control element as claimed in one of claims 1to 3, characterized in that the operator control element (3) for themanual operator control function is configured as an infrared rotarywheel.